Brophy's Coffee Shop - Sad

I went again to Brophy's Coffee shop this morning. I had to go out to collect a prescription and to liberate some cash from my bank account. I thought I'd pop in to have a coffee for a treat. What a let down. What a disappointment. It was nowhere as nice as last year. The coffee was very thin, weak and watery. There was hardly a soul in there. I should have taken that as a 'warning sign'. If the locals haven't filled the place by 10 a.m. then it's not to be recommended. I didn't recognise the people working in there so it has obviously changed hands. If this morning was a yardstick of success then I guess it could well soon change hands again.

Birthday Treat

Today was my 59th birthday. Well yesterday to be precise. I see it is now 12.45 a.m.as I write so I should have said 'yesterday was my birthday'. But as I've not slept yet I still count it as today. so .....

Today was my 59th birthday. How did I celebrate? You may well ask. I had an extra dose of cough medicine and plenty of decongestants thoughout the day in an endeavour to maintain breathing function. Next to eating it is my favourite activity. I allowed myself a break from a sensible diet and purchased a jam doughnut from the village baker. The texture was interesting. I don't know if it had any flavour. The decongestants don't work that well.

I had several cards and gifts but felt too tired to open them till 4 p.m. A strange birthday. And stranger still to think that this time next year I'll be 60 and a pensioner with a bus pass.

I am very tired after a week of coughing more than sleeping most nights. I feel as if could sleep for a week. But the decongestants have me all wired up...

All We Are Saying ...

I just read in the paper today there is an online petition for those who wish to protest about the idea of Tony Blair's nomination for the President of the EC? For once I find myself in agreement. So I went to look for this petition:

"Petition [EN]: We, European citizens of all origins and of all political persuasions, wish to express our total opposition to the nomination of Tony Blair to the Presidency of the European Council. To sign the petition, please go to the bottom of this page "

Updated: 27th February Stinking Billy told me he couldn't find the link and i agree it was not very clear so here it is - i you don't want to read the pre amble click on this link to go directly to the petition: petition to stop Tony Blair nomination as EU president.

Iain Dale's Diary: More Money to Our Friends in the North?

Well - and what was I trying to say just now??

Iain Dale's Diary: More Money to Our Friends in the North?

Gordon Brown's Dignity and Respect for the Aged

Dear Gordon Brown,
What has happened in this country where dignity and respect for our older citizens is so appallingly lacking? Why does this old gentleman have to sell his home to get the money to pay for treatment to save his sight? Why should he have to go blind in one eye before the local PHT/NHS will try and save the sight in his second eye? Why is it the National Health Service is no longer national and it all depends on post code lottery whether you are lucky to get the best available treatment or not. I am beginning to think we should all up sticks and move to Scotland.

How short sighted of the local health service. Becoming monocular leads to trips, falls and other minor accidents like scalds. If you don't believe me [for those other than GB] then try wearing an eye patch over one eye for a month and log how many accidents you have. From trying to fill a mug with boiling water to negoitating steps - all become fraught with difficulty. The younger you are the more time you will have to adapt and the more likely the brain will be able to cope with the adjustment. But youth is not on the side of people with age related loss of vision.

Perhaps the health service doesn't care - if this gentleman needs help to live at home through loss of independence with failing sight then obviously that will be from a different budget - a local government social services budget - a council tax funded budget. Maybe all of us over 50's should rise up together and withhold our council taxes. We could always start up a U3A goup in the prisons where we may feel safer, warmer and better fed with excellent access to the Health Service.

Again yet another example of our non - Caring Government and Prime Minister.

Incredible and Unbelievable

It is incredible and unbelievable that a man serving a prison sentence for a violent rape is able to escape from hopital [for a second time] while he was undergoing treatment. Yet an elderly upright citizen of 76 years is led away in handcuffs to serve a prison sentence for non payment of Council Tax. I think this just about sums up the priorities of our government.

BAFTA Awards

I Present The BAFTA Awards or The Bloggers Are Funny Talented Artists Awards. And The winners are:

[1] Strife/Wife in the North [like the horse and carriage, you can't have one without the other]

[2] Merrydaze - short but sweet - [may be unable to attend in person to collect her award].

[3] Richard Madeley - just because he's a Clever Dick

[4] Ramblings - naturally interesting

[5] Three Beautiful Things for inspirational and uplifting posts

[6] Mark Wadsworth - Gordon Brown' s prudent hairshirt

[7] Winchester Whisperer - a classy classical intelligent writer

[8] Celebrityblogspot - a writer's guild - well known celebs confess their innermost thoughts

[9] Mutleythedog - most original mind - thinking man's dog/thinking dog's man

[10] Vaguetarian restaurant - like the restaurant at the end of the universe - diverse n different

They are all Excellent Bloggers and I hope they keep up their Good work and pick up their awards soon.

BAFTA Award Ceremony

Gosh what a week. First the BAFTA's on TV then I acquire an award of Excellence and I've now been sent another award from retiredandcrazy .

As is customary at all Award ceremonies I would like to start with a small unprepared, impromptu, ' off the cuff', extemporaneous speech. [wipes tear from eye]

I have to thank Retired and Crazy for her nomination. [hugs award closer to bosom]

I would also like to this opportunity to thank my Mother in the the Production Dept: my Father as Co-producer, Director and Finance Director. My sister in her role of best supporting sibling. My husband and lifelong partner, from the day we first met. I want to thank him for providing everything I need - well nearly all I need ... but not everything I want

and last but not least the thousands of blog lurkers from India, Canada, U.S.A, South America, Australia, New Zealand, Portugal, Bischofswerda Sachsen, and last but not least Milton Keynes.

Thank you all from the bottom of my huge heart.

Excellent Awards

Margot of a 'Mother's Place .... ' has kindly called in today to offer me an Excellent Blogger Award. Not being prone to hiding my light under a bushel (whatever that saying may mean; a 'bushel' of what? I mean isn't a bushel some kind of measure; that being the case what sort of light could you hide under it?).

I rushed over to collect it.

I gleaned from her blog that she was awarded this prize by a Maggie May (who I thought was married to Rod Stewart) but no apparantly she is just GrannieMay of 'Nuts in May' .

I decided to take one further leap back into the dark depths and found that Nuttie Grannie May received this award from another mother. There seem to be a lot of them out there in the blogosphere. This mother masquerades as a supermarket waxed version of bread.

At this point I was tired and exhausted from going back through the past. I've done my best and hope you'll find some worthy new blogs from my research. If you do pop in on them be sure to leave a comment as a small reward. I'll be going back to take a longer look.

All I have to do now is ponder on the question of who I should pass this award on to next ....

Birdsong

If you want to relax and listen to Birdsong then tune in to DAB radio 's Oneword. No it isn't an audio book version of Seb Faulkes Birdsong. It is a lovely soothing peaceful rendition of bird song. Apparently, Oneword closed due to a lack of listeners. The few of us who listened were probably irritated by the fact that half a dozen plays/audio books were repeated several times during 24 hours. However, to have birds' songs playing in the back ground is a different matter. The station now has thousands of listeners tuning in. It is so soothing - especially if you want something to lull you to sleep.

Smutty MeMe

I don't know how many of you pop along to look at Mutley's blog (link's on the right under 'Some Amusing ... etc) but when I called in today I did find his latest post on a Smut Meme very funny. It made me laugh out loud. I recommend it.

For On-Line Friends

Hi friend - why don't you stop awhile here.

Guest Blog Spot February

I'm sorry that I've not had the opportunity to post properly the last few weeks. I've only had a few minutes snatched here and there. But I would just like to remind you all to check out the 'Guest Blog Spot' for February on the right hand column. They are all worth taking the time to visit.

Well What A Relief

Perhaps this makes up for my being only 2 thirds real:

People Definitely Like You

You are very well liked, and many people admire you. You are friendly, well mannered, and fun to be around. Of course, you're not perfect... but that's okay. Your friends are usually willing to accept you for who you are! What People Like About You: People like that you give them support and strength. Friends know that they can count on you to be there for them. People like that you're interesting and intriguing. You always have something interesting to say. People like that you truly take and interest in them. Everyone likes to be liked!

Do People Like You?

Personality Testing

You Should Be a Romance Novelist

You see the world as it should be, and this goes double for all matters of the heart.
You can find the romance in any situation, and you would make a talented romance story writer...
And while you may be a traditional romantic, you're just as likely to be drawn to quirky or dark love stories.
As long as it deals with infatuation, heartbreak, and soulmates - you could write it.

And also:




You Are 67% Real

You know who you are, and you're pretty darn comfortable with yourself.

Like everyone, you struggle with the parts of yourself that aren't so great...

But you're good at accepting who you are and not dwelling on your faults.

As a result, you're confident, optimistic, and very real.

How Real Are You?

A Few Household Tips

Well now Teeni, from over the water, sent this Good Household Tips meme my way. The idea is generally to pass along some household management tips .

1. Keep a small bottle of pure Lavender essentail oil in your kithcen. If you burn yourself ( e.g. on the oven shelf in that little gap where the oven gloves don't reach) just grab that little brown bottle and a drop of neat lavender oil on the burn will immediatley remove the sting. It will heal super fast without leaving a scar. Read up on using oils safely as it is not usual to use them neat. Lavender should be used sparingly if you have high blood pressure.I can thoroughly recommend a book for learning about how to use essentail oils for all kinds of household uses from the laundry room, for health and first aid, to pest control and to make your own air freshener.
2. A few drops of lavender oil in water will also take the sting out of sun burn - if you ever get caught out without sunscreen. Just lightly wring out a face cloth and pat on the burnt area.
3. A wee drop of washing-up liquid spread over a bathroom mirror and vigorously polished off will stop that mirror from steaming up for weeks - maybe months - bit of hard work and elbow grease but worth the effort.
4. For pet owners out there - to kill fleas that have been vacuumed up or to stop flea eggs sprouting (whatever the expression should be) place a cat flea collar in the dust collecting bag/bin of your vacuum cleaner. Renew the collar every 6 months.
5. Finally this tip is a famous quote from Quentin Crisp. I've never been able to hold my nerve long enough to check out if it is in fact correct! "Dust doesn't get any thicker after 4 years"

Handing the baton on now to : Mopsa, Flowerpot, Mark Wadsworth and the Winchester Whisperer. I've included Mark as I don't see why this should just be a woman's thing.

Instructions for this meme:
Write your tip(s) with a link to who sent the meme to you, along with the instructions. They are better if they are your own discovery, or not widely known. Still, tips that make a difference to you are all good. After your tips, you may want to tag some fellow bloggers.

Is It Art?

Is it Art? - an unmade bed, a pile of bricks or a wall of recycled rubbish? I am usually of the opinion that this is not art. Regardless of any prize awarded.

However, Carl Warner's 'Foodscapes' are amazing. Every part of this sunset idyllic scene is made up of food. The sky is made from salmon (I've heard of a mackerel sky before) the sea also is salmon. If you look carefully the 'boat' is a pea pod. The rocks and pebbles are made from bread or potatoes, the sand is sugar. It is well worth going over to the photographer's web site to explore further images. If you want to see more of his FoodScapes then you will need to visit his website. Once you have entered his website follow the links by clicking on the Orange coloured box then choose the 2nd folder for his Foodscapes. They are all fascinating. His other portfolios are of interest as well. Go and explore. Enjoy. This is Art.

Noisy Neighbours

Apart from the Rookery at the top of our garden we have quiet neighbours. But Rooks do make rather noisy neighbours. There is a small copse at the top of our rear garden. It contains a fair sized Rookery. It increases in numbers yearly. I've lived with Rooks for nearly 27 years - from Gloucestershire to Devon. I rarely notice their chatter. Visitors find them noisy and distracting. Especially when we are having a garden tea party. I love having them around. They are far less of a distraction than a passing plane or an air sea rescue helicopter clattering overhead. I'm glad to say there are not as many as was shown recently on a BBC television programme.

I can see the rookery from my kitchen window so am aware of thier daily goings on. I don't know what it is but something makes them suddenly swirl up in the air with a clamour of calls, wheel about for a while then settle back on the perches. I usually notice the movement first then I hear the sound. On reading this article I see it may predict weather patterns; I'll have to try and see if it does fit with this observation during this year.

The raucous calls, the arguments, disputes and gossiping chatter. No wonder the collective nouns for rooks are Parliament, Building or Clamour. The make fascinating neighbours. Always industrious they are invariably repairing or rebuilding their nests. Sometimes their chatter continues intermittently throughout the night. Less so in the cold depths of midwinter nights.

Now behind the copse of trees at the top of our garden there are many arable fields. These fields are always full of feeding rooks during the day. But not from 'our' rookery. No our rooks fly off each morning in a north easterly direction. They cross paths with rooks flying in from a north westerly direction to feed in the fields behind us. Rooks commute. Single rooks also have an odd way of flying. As we live almost at the top of a hill we get to see many individual birds flying towards us at eye level. Rooks have a strange sideways flight. They rarely seem to fly from A to B in a direct manner. They seem to flap their wings, looking left and right as they fly and travel at a drifting angle. It's very hard to predict exactly where they intend to go. In spring when they are carrying large twigs back to the nest they often drop them just short and our garden rapidly becomes littered with very large twigs.

Infamous/Famous Blogs

I'm not quite sure whether I agree with people who write blogs where they dish the dirt on people they've fallen out with. It's fine when it's anonymous. It can be cathartic to whinge when we feel someone has hurt us in some way. But then to allow the real person to be outed is very cruel. I think the whole idea is very distasteful.

Did you see in the media at the weekend that someone who claims to be a well known domestic actress ( lower levels) by the name of Jane Slavin has written a blog about her ex lover? If Lucia is in fact Slavin I find it most illuminating that she has listed her own book as her favourite read on her profile page.

I'm inclined to think that picking holes in some one's personality is not on. But she increases my irritation by being very unkind about his physical features. I think the fact she didn't have the 'courage' to address these issues to his face tells rather a lot about her too. Slavin was apparently unavailable for comments. I also find it interesting that there is no option to leave a comment on her blog either. Not surprising - this sounds as if she is one cowardly lady.

I also read that she is hoping for a publishing offer to come out of this blog. I do hope no publisher will take this writer on. Writers shouldn't be allowed to make financial gain from being unkind to others. I don't know what your views are but I think this is one sad story .....

Perhaps she thought that she would be the next Belle de Jour?

How Old?

Now for some of you bloggers out there this is a very interesting site where you can place your blog for increased exposure. Older bloggers in particular may be interested in the ageless project.

MeMe 2007

As I was saying:

8 things I wish for 2008:

1. Good health with no health scares for me, my spouse, my family and friends
2. Improved fitness levels (I intend to return to walking more)
3. A year free from anxiety and stress
4. A year full of laughter and funfilled activities
5. A year free from builders
6. That the Govt improve the state pension in readiness for my claim in 2009
7. The Govt bring in zero income tax and place all taxes on as a purchase tax
8. That we in the SW are able to find out exactly how much our new unelected , secret SW Regional Assembley is costing us on our local Council Tax and why exactly we need yet another layer of beaurocracy.

Last Meme for 2007

Mark Wadsworth posted me a tag a few days ago. I had to go and collect it from his place. It wasn't too onerous a task as I've been having a lazy few days. I wasn't sure what I had to do on this Meme and had to track back to Simon Clark to find out what it was all about. imagine then how exciting it was to find I was in some 'loose way' connected with Iain Dale's blog. I did try to track back via the links to confirm that I was only x links away from Iain's blog but didn't get beyond the Norfolk Blogger, Nich. This wasn't due to not having an interest in the blogs along the way - more that I'm in the middle of cooking a beef curry and have already had a few requests as to 'when exactly will it be ready?'.

Therefore the tag will have to wait until later.

Blogs As A Memorial

I found a lively interesting and diverse blog a few days ago. But I was so sad to see from the final entry the blogger had died. I'm grateful that her daughter had taken the time to post a final entry informing all her mother's blog readers what had happened to 'Daisy'. I'm still trawling through reading some of her earlier entries. She was a very prolific imaginative poster. Beautiful photographs, stories, country and personal facts. Well worth a visit.

There are so many abandoned blogs out there. I can't help wondering what happened to their once keen creators. Hopefully bloggers will think about leave some way of allowing thier exectors to post a final notice when that day does come.

And also thanks to the bloggers such as MerryDaze who leave a postnote if they suddenly stop posting. One final message saves all your readers or friends on the blogosphere from wondering what happened to you.

What a Muddle - a Modern Tall Story

This has all the elements of a tall story, a mystery. I was just wondering why Alistair Darwin became a cross dresser and went out to Panama City to live as Anne Darling with 'her' dead husband, John Darwin, an ex canoeist from the Seaton Crew. Some people will try anything for some extra money.

Queens Speech

Well fellow bloggers and blurkers welcome this festive day. I've found a Queens Speech for you to read if you want an alternative to listening Queen Elizabeth 2 address the nation this afternoon.

Save the £1 Coin

A few months ago I nominated the £ coin as an Iconic Image of England. I don't know how many votes it has received but I see only 2 comments have been made- if you would like to add it to the list of Icons a Portrait of England then vote for it here.

A Merry Christmas to all

A Merry Christmas to all who call in here over the seasonal holiday. I would like to send you all greetings of the season and to wish you a happy New Year. All I can do by way of sending you a card is to ask you to have a peer inside here and imagine it was sent to you direct to collect. But if you are a non dog lover and prefer the traditional Christmas tunes then this rendition of the 12 days of Christmas may suit you. You will need Flash Player to view the animated cards and the sound turned on.

If you are interested in finding out more about the designer of these cards then Jacquie Lawson is the lady you need to meet.

The History of the Guest Blog Spot

Teeni recently asked me about the origins of my 'Guest Blog Spot'. Well, it started with a wish to celebrate on reaching my 2000 visitor. Now I know from looking at the stats and the referrals that some of this blog's visitors are transitory fleeting migrants landing briefly after a Google search. They don't even stop long enough for the site to register any amount of time. All that is left on sitemeter is a nano of a second footprint. On the other side of the coin there are visitors who stop and read for 2 to 30+ minutes. Many of them do not leave a comment. They just quietly leave. A few make return visits - silent visits.

I came up with the idea I'd offer a prize of a 'Guest Blog Spot' for the first NEW commenter on the site meter hitting the 2000 visitor. Once I realised some people leave comments as a means of self promotion I then assumed that every reader would be a blogger and would have a site to 'promote'. I've since found there are what is known as 'blurkers' - they only read blogs. Now I only started to read blogs after I'd started one. In fact originally, I'm rather embarrassed to say, that I didn't even know how to leave a comment. I assumed the purpose of comments was to let the blogger know their entry had been read. I admit I would only choose to leave a comment if I found the blog of interest. If it didn't attract me in any way then I would leave silently. I would not return.

My first virginal comment was actually emailed to the blogger. I thought I'd made a mistake by clicking on the little white envelope and not on the comments link. But now looking back at my archived emails I think I may actually have sent her a 'link' to her post. (Blush) Everything was by trial and error. I slowly realised that when leaving a comment the blogger often visited my blog and finally someone left me a comment. An exciting moment. Until that point I had made one or two comments anonymously on my own blog. And persuaded a close friend to visit and leave a short sharp remark. I wanted it to look as if I had readers. I can't quite remember when I found sitemeter and installed it.

I've mostly found out how to blog by the sink or swim method. I've enjoyed jumping into the deep end and finding my way around the system. I sometimes sneak off to use a friends PC or one at the library so that I can check how my blog looks on other page set ups. I've recently read this book which has introduced to me some other ideas on blogging and some blog slang terms such as blurker. There's much to improve on in the future.

Now to return to the initial point I had a great deal of fun choosing the Guest Blogger. I was reluctant to close the slot at the end of the month. I also liked the idea of promoting blogs that I might not have found very easily by just surfing the blogosphere. It also encouraged bloggers who may have been shy of leaving a remark previously. I'm aware of a couple of regular readers who did eventually rise to the bait and leave a comment. I don't want to promote every guest to my blogroll as it would just grow and grow. But if I become a regular reader they do attain that sort sought after position. Lucky people.

The guest bloggers will always be there in the archives. Anyone who is interested in finding out previous guests will only have to click on the tag 'GUEST slot' to see all the previous posts. I hope to figure out if it will be possible to eventually link the tag to the monthly slot in the sidebar. But that will be for the quieter days of the New Year.

Finally, on writing this I have had confirmation of what I long suspected. Regular readers who read an entry via a feed RSS or Atom may not appear in the stats. So to all of my fellow bloggers who allow site feed - you may have more readers than your stat counter shows.

Famous Flowerpot on West Country TV

While I was away I found out that Flowerpot had been on a local television programme. I was sorry to have missed it as I feel that fellow bloggers are rather like PenPals and I'm always curious as what they look like. So when I found out I could watch the TV programme on the web I did so. Flowerpot is the lady who speaks out on SEX and Mary Wesley.

Thanks Flower - it's been good to meet you.

Update: to get it to load properly you must allow cookies other wise it tells you rather rudely that cookies are not enabled and then refuses to load.

Kate & Gerry McCann

Am I being overly suspicious about the McCanns meeting up secretly with their friends at a hotel to talk about the night the child Madeleine went missing? I still feel that the parents are very much to blame for leaving all the children each night in the way they did. I also question the wisdom of the making of such a public display of the Find Madeleine posters with particular attention being drawn to her very distinctive eye. If I had snatched a child that was so easily recognisable then I would fear the consequences even more of holding on to her - alive.

I really don't understand why it is that Kate McCann is the one who is regularly seen as maybe being responsible for causing harm to her child. Kate was the one who raised the alarm at finding Madeleine 'missing'. But according to the reports I read Gerry was the one who had been checking on their children, several times, through most of the evening. Why has no-one wondered whether he had something to do with her disappearance but allowed his wife to discover the loss later in the evening? I know the Portuguese police have come in for a great deal of criticism about their handling of the case but maybe the fact that the McCanns were insistent she had been snatched rather than she had wandered away raised their suspicions in the first place?

Whatever the truth behind it all the sad fact is that Madeleine is still missing with none of us any the wiser as to what happened to her. If she didn't just wander off into the night then one person at least does know.

A Change is as Good as a Rest

They say a Change is as Good as a Rest and 'they' are so right. The change of scene has given my eyes a rest and home now looks twice as beautiful. Memories from this trip will be:

1. Lil sister and me giggling like teens over a glass [or three] of red wine.
2. Tasting a Krispy Kreme doughnut for the first time - they are good - nearest stockist from Devon is 96 miles, therefore unlikely to become a regular treat.
3. The friendliness of Croydonians. So many people made friendly comments as I explored the Croydon shops with wonder. It was all so big and bewildering I didn't have time or energy left to actually spend money. So I now have an excuse to head into Exeter for a spending spree.
4. Staying with my sister in the Surrey green belt, with no internet access due to the falling trees interfering with the BT lines in the gales the previous weekend, I found I can survive the withdrawal symptoms of a blog free week.
5. Complete change of routine - staying up till 2.00 a.m. and still rising at 7.00 a.m for a week means I am now trying to play catch up on lost sleep.

Home Sweet Home

Yes - after just a few short days away it feels good to be back. 'Home Sweet Home' it is. London and Surrey were crowded, grey, polluted, noisy, with graffiti everywhere and was full of 'buzz'. It was exciting for a while. I goggled bug eyed at all the goodies in the stores, like the country yokel I am. I smiled at every foreigner I saw in the hope that if they were a terroist they would choose not to explode while standing next to me. I bought a copy of the Big Issue at £1.50. Last time I did that it cost a £1. We don't get many Big Issue sellers in east Devon. On Saturday I drove through crowds of Christmas shoppers to get home before the threatend gales forecast for Sunday. The rain was so heavy I rarely managed more than 50 mph. I started to enjoy the drive after Stonehenge. The traffic was less dense the more I drove west. The journey took 2 hours longer than usual, 6 hours on the road. I drove through gusting winds and floods, the roads were like rivers. The biggest deepest flood to ford was on the brow of a hill! But oh the greenery and the wide open spaces. I could feel the fresh air and my eyes widened at the sight of so much 'well kept' green space. In the south east the green spaces appear ungrazed and unkempt. Scrub land. Give me farmland anytime. It's good to be back.

Normal Service Will Be Disrupted ......

Normal Service Will Be Disrupted for a week as I am about to head 'ooop North'. Well, not quite the north. But north east from here. I'm intending to travel up to the big city again to visit my 'lil sister'. I'll be away till 10th December. Unless I get to find an internet cafe I'll not be posting for a week. You all take care now and I'll look forward to reading all your posts on my return.

December Guest Bloggers Will Be .....

For December the new visiting bloggers to leave comments have been many. Thank you all for visiting and leaving your footprints. I haven't had chance to visit each blog to read all your works. So this month - as it's the month of 'Christmas and Good Cheer' to all men and all that, here are a few bloggers - not already on my blogroll - who left comment(s) during November: -

1. Eurodog training


2. Iota - experience of Brit woman living in Mid West USA


3. I Am the Diva


4. Kami's place
   
5. Kaylee's blog - a teenager who recently had a heart transplant


6. Robert - his wife has agoraphobia


7. Diane - a blogging mother


8. The Swearing Mother - don't all mothers swear?

I am sure you will find some interesting reading here - do explore them.

I'm Willing to Support the Labour Party

I'd be willing to support the Labour party with a donation. If any rich donor should read this and wishes to make a donation anonymously then just send a few hundred thousands pounds to me care of my bank at .....

Charity Begins at Home

I see that there are a few newspaper reports that the Royal College of Nursing is about to sell the homes of elderly ex-nurses living in the Brighton area. I thought that all tenants were under some form of protection from eviction. I hope that if the estate is sold the cottages are sold as with 'sitting tenants'. I don't like to think of the RCN as being money grabbing property developers. They obviously don't want to be seen this way either.